Lithographic processing cell, lithographic apparatus, track and device manufacturing method

ABSTRACT

A rework station and a metrology device(s) are incorporated into a lithographic processing cell so that a faulty substrate can be reworked directly and reprocessed without, for example, an overhead involved in changing masks, etc.

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/964,815,filed Oct. 15, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,403,259, which applicationclaims priority from European patent application EP 03256573.1, filedOct. 17, 2003, each of the foregoing applications incorporated herein inits entirety by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a lithographic processing cell, alithographic apparatus for use with a track in a lithographic processingcell, a track for use with a lithographic apparatus in a lithographicprocessing cell and a device manufacturing method.

BACKGROUND

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired patternonto a target portion of a substrate. Lithographic apparatus can beused, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). Inthat circumstance, a patterning device, such as a mask, may be used togenerate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of theIC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g.comprising part of, one or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a siliconwafer) that has a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). Ingeneral, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent targetportions that are successively exposed. Known lithographic apparatusinclude so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiatedby exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion in one go, andso-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated byscanning the pattern through the projection beam in a given direction(the “scanning” -direction) while synchronously scanning the substrateparallel or anti-parallel to this direction.

In a factory, commonly referred to as a “fab” or “foundry”, in whichsemiconductor or other devices are manufactured, each lithographicapparatus is commonly grouped with a “track” comprising substratehandling devices and pre- and post-processing devices to form alithographic processing cell commonly referred to as “lithocell”.Substrates (e.g., wafers), which may be blank or have already beenprocessed to include one or more process or device layers, are deliveredto the lithocell in lots (also referred to as batches) for processing. Alot is, in general, a group of substrates which are to processed by thelithocell in the same way and is accompanied by a “recipe” whichspecifies the processes to be carried out. The lot size may be arbitraryor determined by the size of carrier used to transport substrates aroundthe fab. The recipe may include details of the resist coating to beapplied, temperature and duration of pre- and post-exposure bakes,details of the pattern to be exposed and the exposure settings for that,development duration, etc.

Inevitably, errors occur in the processing of substrates, e.g. focusspots caused by dust on the substrate table and overlay errors, andvarious measurement techniques, collectively referred to as metrology,for detecting them are known. If an error can be detected before anirreversible process step, e.g. an etch, has been carried out, thedeveloped resist may be stripped from the substrate and the substratereprocessed with the aim of producing a correct layer. Existingmetrology devices are generally off-line, that is stand alone devicesoutside the lithocell to which exposed substrates are taken to bemeasured. The measurement processes may be time consuming, so that oftenonly a sample of the substrates in a lot are measured and in the eventthat errors are detected the whole lot is stripped and reprocessed. Thiscan be inefficient in that many perfectly good substrates may bereprocessed and ineffective in that the sampling of substrates may notdetect a few bad substrates in a lot.

SUMMARY

With the development of faster measurement techniques, metrology devicesmay included in the lithocell (“integrated metrology”) to measure allsubstrates. Then, all the actually faulty substrates can be detected andseparated from the good substrates of the lot for reprocessing, avoidingunnecessary reprocessing and preventing faulty substrates escapingdetection.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous, for example, to provide alithographic processing cell, lithographic apparatus, track and devicemanufacturing method in which faulty substrates can be reprocessed moreefficiently and/or more rapidly.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided alithographic processing cell, comprising:

a lithographic apparatus configured to expose a substrate with apattern;

a track comprising one or more processing devices configured to processa substrate;

a rework station configured to rework a substrate during the exposure orprocessing of one or more substrates; and

a supervisory control system configured to control the lithographicapparatus and the track, the supervisory control system configured tocontrol the rework station to rework a substrate for which an unusualoccurrence was detected during exposure, processing, or both, of thesubstrate.

Reworking triggered by an unusual occurrence detected by thelithographic apparatus or track may include an out of specificationmovement during scanning, a focus spot detected by a focus/level sensorand/or a partial system failure during exposure and/or processing. Anunusual occurrence may leave an error on the exposed and/or processedsubstrate such the faulty substrate may be out of specification and needreworking. Optionally or additionally, an error on the exposed and/orprocessed substrate may be confirmed by a metrology device beforereworking is started. Triggering a reworking or a metrology check uponan unusual occurrence may increase the efficiency by which alithographic processing cell can be employed. For example, a faultysubstrate detected early in the processing of a lot can be stripped,while other substrates of the lot are being processed, and thenautomatically reprocessed directly after initial processing of thesubstrates of the lot. This may avoid a delay that would be incurred byseparating the faulty substrate from the correctly processed substrates,taking it to a separate stripping (rework) station and returning it tothe lithocell for reprocessing, steps which typically have been carriedout manually. The additional overhead of loading the new lot comprisingthe stripped substrate into the lithocell and exchanging masks andrecipe data in the lithographic apparatus can be eliminated.

Furthermore, by carrying out reworking sooner after the faulty exposureand/or processing, there is less time for the resist to harden, so therework may be easier and less aggressive, and there is less time for theresist to react with an earlier process layer avoiding damage to adelicate earlier layer.

During reprocessing of the reworked substrate, one or more correctlyprocessed substrates can be held in an output port of the track so thatthe reprocessed substrate can be merged back into the lot for subsequenttreatment together, avoiding having to manually reassemble the lot andavoiding the delay and inefficiency caused by processing two smallerlots.

In an embodiment, a new lot is created for the reworked substrate andthe new lot may be processed directly after the lot from which thereworked substrate derives or later in a sequence of lots (e.g., if moreconvenient).

If a series of lots are being processed using a same recipe, two furtheroptions are possible. Either the reworked substrate may be added to alater lot, e.g. at the beginning, or reworked substrates from severaldifferent lots may be gathered together to form a new lot.

The metrology device may be a separate device within the track to whichone or more substrates are transported by the substrate handler or maybe incorporated in the lithographic apparatus.

The rework station may comprise a wet chemical device including adispenser configured to dispense a solvent, a rinse, or both, onto thesubstrate. Optionally, the rework station may comprise a turntableconfigured to spin the substrate to remove material by centripetalaction. The rework station may include a mechanical polisher.

In an embodiment, the rework station may be a developer configured to becontrolled by the supervisory control system to overdevelop the resist.The substrate may be reworked, for example, by using a flood exposureprior to development if a positive resist is used.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided alithographic apparatus for use with a track, having a track controlunit, in a lithographic processing cell, comprising:

an illuminator configured to condition a beam of radiation;

a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, thepatterning device configured to impart the beam of radiation with apattern in its cross-section;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto atarget portion of the substrate; and

a lithographic apparatus control system with an interface configured tocommunicate with the track control unit of the track, the lithographicapparatus control system configured to report an unusual occurrenceduring exposure of a substrate in the lithographic apparatus to thetrack control unit via the interface.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided atrack for use with a lithographic apparatus in a lithographic processingcell, comprising:

one or more processing devices configured to process one or moresubstrates;

a rework station configured to rework a substrate; and

a track control unit provided with an interface configured tocommunicate with a lithographic apparatus control system of thelithographic apparatus, the track control unit configured to control therework station to rework a substrate for which an unusual occurrence wasdetected during the exposure in the lithographic apparatus, during theprocessing in the track, or both.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a devicemanufacturing method, comprising:

exposing a substrate of a lot, the lot comprising a plurality ofsubstrates, to a pattern using a lithographic projection apparatus in alithographic processing cell, processing the substrate using a track inthe lithographic processing cell, or both;

detecting an unusual occurrence during exposing, processing, or both, ofthe substrate in the lithographic processing cell;

stripping resist from the exposed substrate using a rework station inthe lithographic processing cell if an unusual occurrence has beendetected for the substrate;

re-coating with resist the stripped substrate; and

re-exposing the re-coated substrate using the lithographic apparatuswithout the re-coated substrate leaving the lithographic processingcell.

Although specific reference may be made in this text to the use oflithographic apparatus in the manufacture of ICs, it should beunderstood that the lithographic apparatus described herein may haveother applications, such as the manufacture of integrated opticalsystems, guidance and detection patterns for magnetic domain memories,liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), thin-film magnetic heads, etc. Theskilled artisan will appreciate that, in the context of such alternativeapplications, any use of the terms “wafer” or “die” herein may beconsidered as synonymous with the more general terms “substrate” or“target portion”, respectively. The substrate referred to herein may beprocessed, before or after exposure, in for example a track (a tool thattypically applies a layer of resist to a substrate and develops theexposed resist) or a metrology or inspection tool. Where applicable, thedisclosure herein may be applied to such and other substrate processingtools. Further, the substrate may be processed more than once, forexample in order to create a multi-layer IC, so that the term substrateused herein may also refer to a substrate that already contains multipleprocessed layers.

The terms “radiation” and “beam” used herein encompass all types ofelectromagnetic radiation, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation (e.g.having a wavelength of 365, 248, 193, 157 or 126 nm) and extremeultra-violet (EUV) radiation (e.g. having a wavelength in the range of5-20 nm), as well as particle beams, such as ion beams or electronbeams.

The term “patterning device” used herein should be broadly interpretedas referring to any device that can be used to impart a projection beamwith a pattern in its cross-section such as to create a pattern in atarget portion of the substrate. It should be noted that the patternimparted to the projection beam may not exactly correspond to thedesired pattern in the target portion of the substrate. Generally, thepattern imparted to the projection beam will correspond to a particularfunctional layer in a device being created in the target portion, suchas an integrated circuit.

A patterning device may be transmissive or reflective. Examples ofpatterning devices include masks, programmable mirror arrays, andprogrammable LCD panels. Masks are well known in lithography, andinclude mask types such as binary, alternating phase-shift, andattenuated phase-shift, as well as various hybrid mask types. An exampleof a programmable mirror array employs a matrix arrangement of smallmirrors, each of which can be individually tilted so as to reflect anincoming radiation beam in different directions; in this manner, thereflected beam is patterned. In each example of a patterning device, thesupport structure may be a frame or table, for example, which may befixed or movable as required and which may ensure that the patterningdevice is at a desired position, for example with respect to theprojection system. Any use of the terms “reticle” or “mask” herein maybe considered synonymous with the more general term “patterning device”.

The term “projection system” used herein should be broadly interpretedas encompassing various types of projection system, including refractiveoptical systems, reflective optical systems, and catadioptric opticalsystems, as appropriate for example for the exposure radiation beingused, or for other factors such as the use of an immersion fluid or theuse of a vacuum. Any use of the term “projection lens” herein may beconsidered as synonymous with the more general term “projection system”.

The illumination system may also encompass various types of opticalcomponents, including refractive, reflective, and catadioptric opticalcomponents for directing, shaping, or controlling the projection beam ofradiation, and such components may also be referred to below,collectively or singularly, as a “lens”.

The lithographic apparatus may be of a type having two (dual stage) ormore substrate tables (and/or two or more mask tables). In such“multiple stage” machines the additional tables may be used in parallel,or preparatory steps may be carried out on one or more tables while oneor more other tables are being used for exposure.

The lithographic apparatus may also be of a type wherein the substrateis immersed in a liquid having a relatively high refractive index, e.g.water, so as to fill a space between the final element of the projectionsystem and the substrate. Immersion liquids may also be applied to otherspaces in the lithographic apparatus, for example, between the mask andthe first element of the projection system. Immersion techniques arewell known in the art for increasing the numerical aperture ofprojection systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in whichcorresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and inwhich:

FIG. 1 depicts a lithographic apparatus according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a lithographic processing cell according to an embodimentof the invention;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are simplified drawings of the lithographic processingcell showing the progress of substrates through the cell in a methodaccording an embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 5 to 9 illustrate substrate processing sequences in variants of anembodiment of the method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 schematically depicts a lithographic apparatus which may formpart of an embodiment of the invention. The apparatus comprises:

-   -   an illumination system (illuminator) IL configured to provide a        projection beam PB of radiation (e.g. UV radiation or DUV        radiation);    -   a first support structure (e.g. a mask table) MT configured to        hold a patterning device (e.g. a mask) MA and connected to a        first positioning device PM configured to accurately position        the patterning device with respect to item PL;    -   a substrate table (e.g. a wafer table) WT configured to hold a        substrate (e.g. a resist-coated wafer) W and connected to a        second positioning device PW configured to accurately position        the substrate with respect to item PL; and    -   a projection system (e.g. a refractive projection lens) PL        configured to image a pattern imparted to the projection beam PB        by patterning device MA onto a target portion C (e.g. comprising        one or more dies) of the substrate W.

As here depicted, the apparatus is of a transmissive type (e.g.employing a transmissive mask). Alternatively, the apparatus may be of areflective type (e.g. employing a programmable mirror array of a type asreferred to above).

The illuminator IL receives a beam of radiation from a radiation sourceSO. The source and the lithographic apparatus may be separate entities,for example when the source is an excimer laser. In such cases, thesource is not considered to form part of the lithographic apparatus andthe radiation beam is passed from the source SO to the illuminator ILwith the aid of a beam delivery system BD comprising for examplesuitable directing mirrors and/or a beam expander. In other cases thesource may be integral part of the apparatus, for example when thesource is a mercury lamp. The source SO and the illuminator IL, togetherwith the beam delivery system BD if required, may be referred to as aradiation system.

The illuminator IL may comprise adjusting means AM for adjusting theangular intensity distribution of the beam. Generally, at least theouter and/or inner radial extent (commonly referred to as σ-outer andσ-inner, respectively) of the intensity distribution in a pupil plane ofthe illuminator can be adjusted. In addition, the illuminator ILgenerally comprises various other components, such as an integrator INand a condenser CO. The illuminator provides a conditioned beam ofradiation, referred to as the projection beam PB, having a desireduniformity and intensity distribution in its cross-section.

The projection beam PB is incident on the mask MA, which is held on themask table MT. Having traversed the mask MA, the projection beam PBpasses through the projection system PL, which focuses the beam onto atarget portion C of the substrate W. With the aid of the secondpositioning device PW and position sensor IF (e.g. an interferometricdevice), the substrate table WT can be moved accurately, e.g. so as toposition different target portions C in the path of the beam PB.Similarly, the first positioning device PM and another position sensor(which is not explicitly depicted in FIG. 1) can be used to accuratelyposition the mask MA with respect to the path of the beam PB, e.g. aftermechanical retrieval from a mask library, or during a scan. In general,movement of the object tables MT and WT will be realized with the aid ofa long-stroke module (coarse positioning) and a short-stroke module(fine positioning), which form part of the positioning devices PM andPW. However, in the case of a stepper (as opposed to a scanner) the masktable MT may be connected to a short stroke actuator only, or may befixed. Mask MA and substrate W may be aligned using mask alignment marksM1, M2 and substrate alignment marks P1, P2.

The depicted apparatus can be used in the following preferred modes:

-   1. In step mode, the mask table MT and the substrate table WT are    kept essentially stationary, while an entire pattern imparted to the    projection beam is projected onto a target portion C at one time    (i.e. a single static exposure). The substrate table WT is then    shifted in the X and/or Y direction so that a different target    portion C can be exposed. In step mode, the maximum size of the    exposure field limits the size of the target portion C imaged in a    single static exposure.-   2. In scan mode, the mask table MT and the substrate table WT are    scanned synchronously while a pattern imparted to the projection    beam is projected onto a target portion C (i.e. a single dynamic    exposure). The velocity and direction of the substrate table WT    relative to the mask table MT is determined by the    (de-)magnification and image reversal characteristics of the    projection system PL. In scan mode, the maximum size of the exposure    field limits the width (in the non-scanning direction) of the target    portion in a single dynamic exposure, whereas the length of the    scanning motion determines the height (in the scanning direction) of    the target portion.-   3. In another mode, the mask table MT is kept essentially stationary    holding a programmable patterning device, and the substrate table WT    is moved or scanned while a pattern imparted to the projection beam    is projected onto a target portion C. In this mode, generally a    pulsed radiation source is employed and the programmable patterning    device is updated as required after each movement of the substrate    table WT or in between successive radiation pulses during a scan.    This mode of operation can be readily applied to maskless    lithography that utilizes a programmable patterning device, such as    a programmable mirror array of a type as referred to above.

Combinations and/or variations on the above described modes of use orentirely different modes of use may also be employed.

The lithographic apparatus LA shown in FIG. 1, forms part of thelithographic processing cell, or lithocell, LO shown in FIG. 2. Thelithocell LO is further provided with a track which may include thefollowing devices: input/output ports I/O1 and I/O2 (a single port ormore than two may also be provided), chiller plates CH configured tocool substrates, bake plates BK configured to heat substrates, spincoaters SC (typically four) configured to coat substrates, e.g., withresist, developers DE (again typically four) and a substrate handler, orrobot, RO configured to move substrates between the various devices andthe loading bay LB of the lithographic apparatus LA. The aforementioneddevices are generally referred to collectively as the track and arecontrolled by a track control unit TCU so as to process substratesaccording to the appropriate recipe. Typically, substrates are taken inat one of the ports I/O1 or I/O2, cooled on a chiller plate CH, coatedwith resist using a spin coater SC, given a pre-exposure bake on a bakeplate BK to drive off excess solvent in the resist and cooled againbefore being exposed by the lithographic apparatus LA. After exposure,the substrates are subjected to a soft bake on a bake plate BK, cooledon a chiller plate CH, developed at developer DE, hard baked on a bakeplate BK and cooled again on a chiller plate CH before being output viaone of the ports I/O1 or I/O2.

In a lithocell according to an embodiment of the invention, theconventional devices in the track may be supplemented by one or moreintegrated metrology devices IM and one or more rework stations RW. Theintegrated metrology device IM may be an overlay measurement tool ofknown type, such as a scatterometer, a scanning electron microscope,etc., that can be used to detect errors or faults in exposed substrates.The metrology device may measure the developed resist image or thelatent resist image if there is sufficient contrast. Any metrologydevices built into the lithographic apparatus LA, such as an off-axisalignment tool or level sensor, may also be used instead of or inconjunction with the integrated metrology device included in the track.The rework station RW is a device configured to strip the resist fromsubstrates and may be similar in form to a spin coater or a developer.The rework station may also include a flood exposer configured to exposesubstrates without a pattern and a mechanical or chemo-mechanicalpolisher. It is also possible to use multi-purpose devices capable ofselectively dispensing a number of different liquids, e.g. resist,developer, solvent, rinse, etc., in place of a separate, dedicated spincoater, developer and/or rework station.

The track, lithographic apparatus LA, metrology device IM and reworkstation RW may be controlled by a supervisory control system, SCS, whichsupervises the lithographic apparatus control system LACU and the trackcontrol unit TCU and, in an embodiment, conforms to SECS standards.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a manufacturing process according to anembodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 3 (which omits some stepsfor clarity such as baking and cooling), a lot is loaded viainput/output port I/O1, then the substrates are coated by spin coatersSC, exposed by lithographic apparatus LA and developed by developers DE.Some or all of the developed substrates may be measured or inspected bythe integrated metrology IM and one or more substrates that pass aresent to input/output port I/O2 where the processed lot is assembledbefore transfer to another process. One or more substrates that failinspection, e.g., because one or more faults are detected, are divertedto rework station RW.

If an unusual occurrence is detected during exposure or processing, forexample a focus spot, a system failure or an out-of-spec dynamicperformance, a substrate may be diverted directly to the rework stationRW, bypassing development and inspection/fault detection. A focus spotis generally caused by a foreign particle between the substrate and thetopside of the substrate table on which the substrate is clamped. Theforeign particle makes the surface contour of the substrate show acertain unevenness that deteriorates exposure on the surface. Thefocus/level sensor measures the surface contour of the substrate to keepthe surface in focus of the projection system. If the focus/level sensordetects a surface contour with a certain unevenness which is out ofspecification, this will lead to an exposure error (focus spot) at thatlocation. The focus/level sensor and the lithographic apparatus controlsystem may report the unusual occurrence to the supervisory controlsystem so that the substrate may be reworked and exposed again.

In the second phase, the one or more substrates that were determined tobe faulty and that have been stripped of resist in the rework stationare reprocessed, that is coated, exposed, developed and inspected.Assuming the reworked and reprocessed one or more substrates passinspection the second time, these one or more substrates are reunitedwith the remainder of the lot in input/output port I/O2. One or moresubstrates that fail inspection after reprocessing may be reprocessed asecond time or rejected (particularly if the same fault recurs).

Variations on the sequence of processing and reprocessing substratesaccording to an embodiment of the method of the invention are possible,as shown in FIGS. 5 to 9. In the basic method shown in FIG. 5, lots N,N+1, N+2, etc. are processed in sequence and one or more faultysubstrates (shown with horizontal hatching) are reprocessed at the endof the lot from which they derive. This may simplify downstreamprocessing and may be most efficient if the stripping of resist can beperformed quickly enough such that there is no delay before the strippedone or more substrates can be reprocessed.

If the reworked one or more substrates require some special treatmentthereafter, perhaps an adjustment to an exposure or processing parameterto compensate for whatever caused the error in the first place, thereworked one or more substrates can be separated from their originallot, lot N, and form a new lot N′ which is then processed directly afterlot N to reduce or minimize the overhead time required to load a mask(or mask data) into the lithographic apparatus LA and otherwise preparethe track for the required process. This is shown in FIG. 6. Processingthe reworked one or more substrates as a separate lot may also bedesirable for quality control reasons.

FIG. 7 shows the situation when the reworked one or more substrates areprocessed as new lot N′, after lot N+1. This may avoid delay if thestripping process takes a substantial period of time but may causeadditional delay due to the need to reload one or more masks unless lotN+1 uses the same mask as lot N. In the latter case, and if the samerecipe in total is to be applied, the reworked one or more substratesfrom lot N may be added to lot N+1, at any point, not just at thebeginning as shown in FIG. 8. If a sequence of lots, lots N to N+3 forexample, are processed with the same recipe, the reworked one or moresubstrates from all of the lots may be gathered into a new lot, lot X,as shown in FIG. 9.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described above,it will be appreciated that the invention may be practiced otherwisethan as described. The description is not intended to limit theinvention.

1. A lithographic processing cell, comprising: a lithographic apparatusconfigured to expose a substrate with a pattern; a track comprising oneor more processing devices configured to process a substrate and ametrology station; a rework station configured to rework a substrateduring the exposure, processing, or both, of one or more substrates; anda supervisory control system configured to control the lithographicapparatus and the track, the supervisory control system configured tocontrol the rework station to rework a substrate based on a measurementor fault detected other than at the metrology station of the track. 2.The cell according to claim 1, wherein the rework station comprises awet chemical device including a dispenser configured to dispense asolvent, a rinse, or both, onto the substrate.
 3. The cell according toclaim 1, wherein the rework station comprises a mechanical polisher. 4.The cell according to claim 1, wherein the rework station comprises adeveloper that is configured to be controlled by the supervisory controlsystem to overdevelop the resist.
 5. The cell according to claim 1,further comprising a metrology device configured to detect one or morefaults in a substrate processed by the lithographic processing cell. 6.The cell according to claim 1, wherein the lithographic apparatuscomprises: a support structure configured to hold a patterning device,the patterning device configured to impart a beam of radiation with apattern in its cross-section; a substrate table configured to hold asubstrate; and a trajectory controller configured to control a movementof the substrate table, the patterning device, or both, to follow atrajectory and configured to report a fault to control rework if themovement of the substrate table, the patterning device, or both,deviates significantly from the trajectory.
 7. The cell according toclaim 1, wherein the lithographic apparatus comprises: a substrate tableconfigured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured toproject a patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and afocus/level sensor configured to measure a surface contour of thesubstrate and configured to report a measurement to control rework ifthe surface contour exceeds a certain unevenness.
 8. The cell accordingto claim 1, wherein the supervisory control system is configured tohold, in the cell, one or more correctly processed sub states of a lotcomprising the substrate for which the measurement or detected fault tocontrol rework was made and to merge the substrate for which themeasurement or detected fault to control rework was made back into thelot, after being reworked, for subsequent treatment together with theone or more correctly processed substrates.
 9. The cell according toclaim 1, wherein the supervisory control system is configured to createa new lot for the substrate for which the measurement or detected faultto control rework was made and to process the new lot directly after alot from which that substrate derives or later in a sequence of lots.10. The cell according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of lots areexposed and processed using a same recipe and wherein the supervisorycontrol system is configured to combine the substrate for which themeasurement or detected fault to control rework was made, that substratederiving from a lot of the plurality of lots, with one or moresubstrates, either reworked or not, from another of the plurality oflots to form a new lot.
 11. A lithographic apparatus for use with atrack, the track having a track control unit and a metrology station,the lithographic apparatus comprising: a support structure configured tohold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart abeam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section; a substrate tableconfigured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured toproject the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and alithographic apparatus control system with an interface configured tocommunicate with the track control unit of the tack, the lithographicapparatus control system configured to retort a measurement or faultdetected with respect to a substrate to the track control unit via theinterface for control of rework of the substrate by the track.
 12. Theapparatus according to claim 11, wherein the lithographic apparatuscontrol system is configured to control a movement of the substratetable, the patterning device, or both, to follow a trajectory and isconfigured to report a fault to control rework if the movement of thesubstrate table, the patterning device, or both, deviates significantlyfrom the trajectory.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 11, furthercomprising a focus/level sensor configured to measure a surface contourof the substrate and wherein the lithographic control system isconfigured to report a measurement to control rework if the surfacecontour exceeds a certain unevenness.
 14. A track for use with alithographic apparatus the track comprising: one or more processingdevices configured to process one or more substrates; a metrologystation; a rework station configured to rework a substrate; and a trackcontrol unit provided with an interface configured to communicate with alithographic apparatus control system of the lithographic apparatus, thetrack control unit configured to control the rework station to rework asubstrate based on a measurement or fault detected other than at themetrology station of the track.
 15. The track according to claim 14,wherein the rework station comprises a wet chemical device including adispenser configured to dispense a solvent, a rinse, or both, onto thesubstrate.
 16. The track according to claim 14, wherein the reworkstation comprised a mechanical polisher.
 17. The tack according to claim14, wherein the rework station comprises a developer configured to becontrolled by the track control unit to overdevelop the resist.
 18. Thetrack according to claim 14, further comprising a metrology deviceconfigured to detect one or more faults in a substrate exposed orprocessed in the lithographic processing cell.
 19. A devicemanufacturing method, comprising: exposing a substrate of a lot the lotcomprising a plurality of substrates, to a pattern using a lithographicprojection apparatus in a lithographic processing cell, processing thesubstrate using a track, having a metrology station, in the lithographicprocessing cell, or both exposing and processing; measuring or detectinga fault, other than at the metrology station of the track, with respectto the substrate in the lithographic processing cell; stripping resistfrom the exposed substrate using a rework station in the lithographicprocessing cell if a fault has been detected or measured with respect tothe substrate; re-coating with resist the stripped substrate; andre-exposing the re-coated substrate using the lithographic apparatuswithout the re-coated substrate leaving the lithographic processingcell.
 20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: holdingone or more correctly processed substrates of the lot in thelithographic processing cell; and merging the re-exposed substrate backinto the lot for subsequent treatment together with the one or morecorrectly processed substrates.
 21. The method according to claim 19,further comprising: creating a new lot for the stripped substrate; andprocessing the new lot directly after the lot from which the strippedsubstrate derives or later in a sequence of lots.
 22. The methodaccording to claim 19, wherein exposing the substrate and measuring ordetecting a fault are carried out for a plurality of lots using a samerecipe and further comprising combining the stripped substrate with oneor more substrates, either stripped or not from another of the pluralityof lots to form a new lot.